For producing hot drinks, for example coffee, tea, vegetable-based infusions and the like, single-dose packagings, in the form of so-called capsules, pods, cartridges or the like are often used. Here after the term “capsule” will be used to broadly designate such a single-dose packaging. It shall be understood that, unless specifically indicated, said term is to be understood as encompassing any kind of single-dose packaging suitable for preparing beverages or other edible products by extraction using hot and possibly pressurized water. A single dose packaging can include sufficient ingredients to prepare more than just one portion of beverage, e.g. two portions.
Capsules usually contain the ingredients for producing the drink. Hot water is made to flow through the capsule at an adequate pressure to extract the flavours from the ingredients contained in the capsule. There are several types of devices for handling the capsules and for the infusion or brewing phase, which is the phase of extracting the flavours from the capsules through water passage.
WO-A-2012/020343 discloses a brewing unit specifically intended for brewing coffee from capsules. The brewing unit comprises a brewing chamber with a first brewing chamber portion and a second brewing chamber portion, both movable with respect to a supporting frame. A pair of opposed guiding channels are provided for guiding a capsule in a brewing position. Lower supporting members are provided for supporting laterally the capsule and retain it in the brewing position. Both brewing chamber portions are moved towards the capsule, which remains stationary in the position reached at the end of the insertion movement along the guiding channels. After the brewing cycle has been completed, the brewing chamber is opened and the capsule is released by lifting the supporting members.